Sermon Central
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How Have You Responded To The Claims Of Christ Series
Contributed by Todd Pearson on Nov 14, 2000 (message contributor)
Summary: Have you accepted the Jesus of the Bible?
How Have You Responded To The Claims Of Jesus?
To fully understand who Jesus was and why He came we have to go back to the very beginning. In Genesis Chapter 3 the human race is plunged into depravity because of Adam’s sin. Romans 5:18 says, “...as through one man's offense judgment came to all
men, resulting in condemnation...” Because of the fall we sinners by nature as well as lifestyle. Sin is simply doing what God said don’t do, or not doing what He said to do
The crisis rests in two facts, 1) we are sinners and 2) God is absolutely Holy, that is He is completely separated from anything sinful. Isaiah 59:2 puts it this way, “your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you.” Because God is holy and we are unrighteous to the core we cannot ever enter into a right
relationship with Him through our own efforts.
You might say then why doesn’t God simply forgive, and embrace humanity as if the offense never occurred? Because God is absolutely just. Because of this He cannot simply overlook our sinfulness, the penalty must be paid. That my friend is the bad news.
The good news is that God is also loving and merciful. Because of this He created and revealed His plan to redeem us. That plan involves the Messiah (or Christ) coming to pay the penalty for our transgressions. The title Messiah is simply the title given to the redeemer.
Genesis 3:15 reveals the first promise regarding the Messiah, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.'' Notice first of all He is called the “Seed Of The Woman.” This is a very unique term that could only be fulfilled by a virgin birth. Notice
also the phrase “bruise His heel” there is little doubt that Jesus’ heel was bruised as He was nailed to the cross. When Jesus rose from the dead He dealt Satan a death blow, thus bruising his head.
From this point on all humanity looked with anticipation to the coming Redeemer, the Messiah. Satan quickly raised up counterfeit messiah’s, this is why the mother goddess and divine son image was a common form of idolatry. Satan also began to distort the problem. Sin was no longer the problem with mankind, but rather he simply didn’t realize he was a god. As time went on God revealed more and more about the Messiah, until a clear picture emerged. Here are SOME of the prophecies regarding the Messiah.
1. He will be a descendent of Abraham, Genesis12:3 (that is He would come forth from the nation Israel.) 2. He would arise from the tribe of Judah, Genesis 49:10. 3. He would spring up from the lineage of king David, Isaiah 11:1-10. 4. He will be born in
Bethlehem, Micah 5:2. 5. He is Yahweh (God’s proper Name), Isaiah 44:6 (read this passage very carefully.) 6. He would die to atone for sin and be resurrected,Isaiah 53.
Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies of the long anticipated Messiah. What will you do with Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah? Becoming a Christian, a follower of the Messiah [or Christ], is not a matter of repeating some “magic” words. Rather it is accepting His claims, and receiving Him as your personal sin-bearer. Jesus did not come to earth to be
an add-on to your life, like a new pair of shoes or a new friend. He claimed to be the very source of life, John 1:4, 14:6. He claimed to be the one and only Light of the world, John 8:12.
He did not come start a new religion, but to reconcile fallen humanity with God, Luke 19:10. Jesus claimed to be the dividing line for the eternal destiny of all mankind. To reject Him is to reject all hope of obtaining eternal life, John 5:24, 8:23-24, 14:6. Jesus claimed that a person had to accept His claims in order to become a child of God, John 8:42-47. To become a Christian you MUST ACCEPT the claims of Jesus, regarding who He was as well as what He came to do.
Claims Pertaining To Who He Was
First, He claimed to be the one and only Savior; “I am the door of the sheep” John 10:7, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved” John 10:9. In these passages He was clearly saying He was the ONE and ONLY door through which a person could enter into the sheepfold of God. He is saying all other “doors” are traps, they do not lead to salvation. Lets take a close look at John 10:1,8,10.
